2026 Hyundai Inster Review

It's a futuristic little SUV package designed as a flamboyant take on the light SUV segment that comes powered entirely by electricity and aims to inject some fun into the market.

The Inster is also Hyundai's cheapest electric vehicle to date, but with such a pint-sized footprint, are there too many sacrifices on offer to make it a worthwhile option in the ever-growing world electric SUVs?

Let's take a look at how the Hyundai Inster stacks up against some of its budget electric rivals.

Hyundai Inster Competition

How Much Does It Cost?

Prices for the MY26 Hyundai Inster range kick off from $39,000 for the entry-level Inster 2WD Standard Range and stretch out to $45,000 for the range-topping Inster Cross Long Range.

• MY26 Inster 2WD Standard Range - $39,000

• MY26 Inster 2WD Extended Range - $42,500

• MY26 Inster Cross 2WD Extended Range - $45,000

Keep in mind that these prices are subject to change and do not include on-road costs.

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Hyundai Inster 2WD Standard Range Specifications

What Features Does the Hyundai Inster Have?

Hyundai's entry-level Inster Standard Range comes riding on 15-inch alloys and receives LED headlights, recycled cloth upholstery with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, keyless entry & start, adaptive cruise control, a rear-view camera with rear parking sensors, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless charging pad, a heat pump for the single zone climate control, LED interior lighting, a tyre repair kit and two vehicle-to-load (V2L) ports.

Stepping up to the Hyundai Inster Extended Range adds 17-inch wheels while the Inster Cross range adds roof rails, leatherette upholstery with heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, ambient lighting, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, flat-folding rear seats, a surround-view monitor with front-mounted parking sensors and choice of a roof basket or a sunroof.

Connectivity & Infotainment Features

All versions of the Hyundai Inster come packaged with a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system sitting neatly atop the dashboard.

Hyundai's displays are always solid, including this one, with a high resolution display that remains bright even in the midday sun and responsive thanks to a decent amount of processing power underneath.

The 10.25-inch display looks great and comes packaged with satellite navigation and DAB+ digital alongside a six-speaker sound system.

The Inster also picks up over-the-air software updates and a five-year subscription to Hyundai's Bluelink connected services suite, which offers remote vehicle information and location tracking, emergency calls, live traffic and weather updates, and a voice assistant.

Does the Hyundai Inster Have Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto?

Potential buyers might be surprised to find out that while the Inster is one of Hyundai's most futuristic-looking vehicles, you'll need need to bring your own USB cable in order to access Apple CarPlay & Android Auto.

That’s because the Inster's 10.25-inch infotainment system does not offer wireless Apple CarPlay nor Android Auto, though provides a smooth and stable connection to your Android or iOS device when connected via one of the USB-C ports.

Is the Hyundai Inster Comfortable to Drive?

Designed as an urban-centric package, the Hyundai Inster is a pleasure to drive in the concrete jungle and makes a run around town both easy… and surprisingly fun.

While it’s not a powerhouse by any measure, the Inster's relatively lightweight construction and stout wheelbase lend themselves to agile and fun-loving handling while making life around easy.

The Inster Standard Range comes powered by a front-mounted electric motor that produces 71kW and 147Nm of torque, with power supplied by a 42kWh battery pack.

Those upgrading to the Inster Extended Range pick up a small power boost, to the tune of 84.5kW, while torque remains at the same 147Nm, though a larger battery pack gives it more driving range potential.

The on-paper figures certainly aren't too impressive, though thanks to its impressive weight figures for a battery-electric vehicle, the Inster feels nimble and keen to get off the line.

With its sharp steering and incredibly short wheelbase, the Inster also carves its way through corners and roundabouts with a fun-loving nature and can squeeze into virtually any vacant car park, making driving around town a simple, enjoyable process.

The Inster feels a little out of its depth when pushed on a rougher stretch of B-road, though, with its relatively firm suspension more suited to the urban challenge rather than a country expedition.

It shines, however, on a daily drive through town or on a jaunt down the highway where it remains far more composed than you might expect for such a compact little box.

With the help of its regenerative braking system, you can soak up the user-friendliness of one-pedal driving around town and park it on a dime thanks to its 3.8 meter footprint.

All up, the Inster is a formidable city car that wastes no time in putting a smile on your face and impressing with its fun-loving and well-mannered nature around town; an absolute must for any funky little package aimed at charming buyers.

How Far Can the Hyundai Inster Drive on a Charge?

Hyundai packages the Inster with two different battery packs, depending on whether you're ticking the box on the Standard or Extended Range version.

That said, there's not a huge difference between the two packs, which measure 42 and 49kWh, respectively.

Both battery packs feature an NMC chemistry and offer up to 327km of range in the entry-level Inster Standard Range.

Those upgrading to the Inster Extended Range can expect up to 360km of range per charge, according to testing on the WLTP cycle, which drops to 293km if you’ve ticked the box on Hyundai's practical roof basket instead of the sunroof.

• Inster Standard Range: 327km

• Inster Extended Range with Roof Box: 293km

• Inster Extended Range with Sunroof: 360km

How Fast Can the Hyundai Inster Charge?

While it doesn’t feature the company’s ultra-fast charging tech, the Hyundai Inster's battery is pretty compact and, as a result, can be charged up relatively quickly - with access to the right charger.

If you can get your hands on a 120kW DC fast charger, you’ll be able to charge the Inster's battery pack at speeds up to 85kW, offering a 10 - 80 per cent charge in a claimed 30 minutes.

It can be AC charged up to speeds of 10.5kW, resulting in a full charge in just north of four hours.

Is it Practical and Spacious?

Don’t be fooled by the Inster’s pint-sized footprint - it's far more than a matchbox on wheels when it comes to practicality.

Thanks to some seriously clever interior packaging, the Hyundai Inster took us by surprise when it came to interior accommodation.

As any good small car does, the Inster offers more space inside than you'd think were possible from the outside, ticking a number of important boxes for the small car segment thanks to its unique design and tall, boxy proportions.

Step inside and you're greeted with a great deal of headroom for tall drivers and front passengers, thanks to the relatively low-slung seats and the lofty roofline that adds a great deal of both accommodation and forward visibility.

Obviously, things are tight in terms of width, though it's far from a claustrophobic affair even with two, bulky adults riding up front.

There's no traditional centre console on offer, with the Inster offering an extension of the seat base, instead, which incorporates a pair of cupholders and a compact little armrest separating the front seats.

You’ll also find some clever and much-needed storage options incorporated into the dashboard, with a tiered storage element sitting in front of the passenger's seat and two substantial cubbies sitting atop each other in the centre.

There's also a large glovebox and a decent-sized pair of door bins to swallow up more loose items than you might initially give it credit for.

Move to the second row and things are far more respectful for those seated in the rear than its pint-sized exterior footprint suggests.

Headroom isn’t a major issue, though cabin width is restrictive if you're planning on squeezing adults into the two-seater rear while the floor is quite raised due to the underlying battery pack.

What's genuinely puzzling is how Hyundai has managed to extract so much legroom potential from such a small package, which offers more real estate than some far bigger rivals.

Adults won’t even have their knees touching the first row seats, such is the effectiveness of Hyundai's clever interior packaging which makes the Inster a seriously practical little SUV that can virtually fit in your back pocket.

The Inster's rear seats are able to both slide and recline back and forth, with a short list of amenities headlined by a single USB-C port and air vents, as well as ISOFIX anchors and top tether mounts for child seats.

How Big is the Hyundai Inster's Boot?

While it sounds like a bit of crude joke, boot space inside the Hyundai Inster depends on how big your rear passengers are.

That’s because with the rear seats in their rearmost position, there's just 280L of boot space on offer.

Slide the rear seats all the way forward, though, and you've got 351L of real estate to play around with.

Fold the 50:50 split seats down and the Inster's boot space figures max out at a pretty respectable 1,059L when you need to lug around some bulky cargo.

• Inster Boot Space Minimum: 280L - 351L (seats back vs slid forward)

• Inster Boot Space Maximum: 1,059L

Is it Safe?

Hyundai packages the Inster with a hefty list of safety tech, though some goodies are reserved for range-topping Inster Cross versions.

As standard, all versions pick up AEB with pedestrian, vehicle and cyclist detection, junction assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, lane-keep assist with lane centring, rear occupant alerts, safe exit warnings, traffic sign detection and a rear-view camera with rear parking sensors.

Upgrading to the Inster Cross adds a surround-view monitor with a 3D view, blind-spot view monitors, front-mounted parking sensors and a reverse parking collision avoidance system.

At the time of writing, the Hyundai Inster is yet to receive an official ANCAP safety rating.

What Warranty does the Hyundai Inster Come With?

Hyundai offers the Inster with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty alongside a separate eight-year/160,000-kilometre warranty for the battery and high-voltage components.

Buyers also pick up lifetime roadside assistance if they keep their Inster serviced within the dealer network.

Service intervals stand at a lengthy 24 months or 30,000km, whichever elapses first.

Prepaid service packages for two and four-years are priced at $655 and $1,310, respectively.

Our Verdict: Is the Hyundai Inster Worth it?

In isolation, the Hyundai Inster is a fabulously charming little electric SUV that makes light work of the city run and wastes no time charming your socks off.

It’s a package that oozes personality and offers far more practicality than you'd think from a quick glance at its exterior proportions.

When put alongside some of its fiercest rivals, however, the Inster's allure begins to fall a little bit short of what's on offer from similarly-priced yet bigger and more range-capable vehicles that somewhat take the shine off an otherwise excellent feat of interior packaging and charisma on four wheels.

As a complete package, though, we can’t help but celebrate the Inster's fun-loving nature, well-mannered nature on the road and fabulously user-friendly platform that makes it a battery-electric city car that is impossible to ignore.

If you're after the best possible price on your next car, be sure to reach out to one of our car-buying experts today.

Five Hyundai Inster Specs You Need to Know

1. Five-year/unlimited kilometre vehicle warranty

2. Eight-year/160,000-kilometre battery warranty

3. 327 - 360km range figure

4. 280 - 351L boot expands to 1,059L with rear seats folded

5. 24-month / 30,000-kilometre service intervals